Describe the primary storage used in computer systems

What will be an ideal response?

Random-access memory (RAM), also called main memory, is located on the motherboard and is used to store the data and programs currently in use. Within the central process unit (CPU) itself, registers provide temporary storage locations where data must reside while it is being processed or manipulated. For example, if two numbers are to be added together, both must reside in registers, with the result placed in a register. Consequently, the number and size of the registers can also greatly influence the speed and power of a CPU.

A cache is a small block of memory used by processors to store those instructions most recently or most often used. Thanks to cache memory, before performing an operation, the processor does not have to go directly to main memory, which is farther away from the microprocessor and takes longer to reach. Instead, it can check first to see if needed data is contained in the cache. Cache memory is typically located inside the microprocessor. Modern CPUs have a hierarchy of cache memory (level 1, level 2, or even level 3); the lower levels of cache memory are faster but also smaller and more expensive. The more cache available to a CPU, the better the overall system performs because more data is readily available.

Read-only memory (ROM) is used to store programs and instructions that are automatically loaded when the computer is turned on, such as the basic input/output system (BIOS).